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I read a few comments about a particular spot on a fishing forum recently, observing them speaking in code (Or tongues) and evidently trying to keep a spot off the radar. Funnily enough this particular location has been the subject of secret squirrel mutterings for a few years now (That I have noticed ) and it got me thinking, how really untouched is your super special spot X?
Being from a freshwater background this subject comes up now and then, either fiercely contested or quickly swept under the carpet. You see, round these parts a great spot can be hard to come by and pulling a nice fish is, how do I say it, gratifying. Living where I live and belonging in a previously decade long parched environment some of the more iconic spots round the way have simply vanished.
Government bodies offering incentives to fishing clubs have provided Canberra and its surrounds by replenishing recent doldrum fisheries with good numbers of Native species (Well done I might add). Subject to introduced species invasion some even remained pristine and as far from rural as possible (Forget the 'Bush Capital' logic). One in particular was seen as shooting fish in a barrel to many angling peers but yet astounded onlookerswho were naiveas to what lay in front of them.
It's funny as at one stage myself and some mates called this particular location 'Spot X', hardly ever spying another angler(In many years) gracing its presence. The fish were immaculate, healthy and sizable and we literally thought we had the place under the thumb. It was never mentioned on forums and was a taboo subject in outsider chit chat/fishing circles.
Turns out that we basically fished it so early in the day or late at night that we missed the other 9-5 crowds attendance (Discarded fishing line and all). Urban population increased, road conquering drives were formed and civil planning took over. Before we knew it a weekends jaunt heralded a dozen or so anglers on the water, some in boats (Illegal I might add), others in kayaks and some bank bound. These weren't your everyday fisherman either, they were all hunting the same glory we were and new what was there (Be that a photo, a memory or a feed for the table).
Water quality began to deteriorate, weed growth flourished and eventually the dreaded Redfin appeared. How the pest fish appeared was anyone's guess but rumours of illegal stocking and adjoining suburb runoff ran rife (I sure as hell was confused). Either way they weren't stocked by the Government, far frombeing a naturaloccurance and in the past totally nonexistent. People were pissed that this might ruin the pondage, but it was proved the stocked Natives had held their ground and many anglers continued to flock to the area.
My point is I was in a bubble, a small secluded world were everything revolved around secrecy (And I am guilty as charged). I can think of a dozen locations off the top of my head I don't like mentioning in public and as a fishing journalist I often feel perplexed. I want to publish and expose these areas as a unique angling opportunity, one to visit and treasure for the rest of your life. However, having been shown these spots by peers and after researching any history on the location(Be that print or studying the land) I have concluded that nine times out of ten it would be highly irresponsible of me to do so (But it can be done in the right ways).
My 'Spot X' might not be your 'Spot X', as it turns out you have probably fished it before (Or someone you know has). Case in point being the opening paragraph relating to another particular spot, and this time involving saltwater. In 2006 I and many others were shown an area that was out of the wind and far from any maddening crowd. Being a frightfully helpful fellow, I am damn sure not a singular thought regarding secularism crossed his mind before guiding me and a dozen other kayak fishermen onto this waterway.
Being part of a larger system and with the weather poor our visit was brief but spectacular. I swore black and blue to return and have done so with others who either knew about its location previously or didn't (Not that it mattered anyway). Having a plethora of vintage fishing magazines and books at my disposal I considered myself a bit of a location buff but this location was so far off my radar I had skipped over it many times, searching maps for its upmost reaches where Bass may lay.
Finding the facts in a faded freshwater journal I traced the rivers history and found half a dozen articles over the last 20 years that detailed its exact whereabouts, its popularity and its profitability (By angling standards). These were no sordid articles either, pure old school information worth more than its weight in gold. As time went by it most probably appeared to be forgotten about, tell tale fishing floats and 'Others' soon put that reasoning to bed. By 'Others' I meant the tinny full of overweight men that grunt at you on the way past upriver, not any individual perpetrates of all things secret.
Communication on the internet whilst mentioning certain locations can be a hard knock affair, those that can remember will recall KFA coping a serve previously (Via search engine results). A spots success can get out of hand rather quickly and even a fishing bible/encyclopaedia dated B.C, rereleased and reprinted thousands of times becomes dated information, thanks to the art of Google. In my published opinion there is nothing wrong with mentioning areas and providing detailed information to the public on the internet or in person, but be advised some of those 'Others' don't think so.
In summarising, this post was all just about getting your brains ticking over, nothing more and nothing less. There is no personal pot-shots, no skulduggery and no self vilification. Nobody should take any offence, just read and take in any differing opinion on the subject (If you have one). Indecently that last place I mentioned was Bumbo Creek (Upper reaches of Tuross). It's not hard to find and worth a visit, especially if you want to chase E.P's or decent Bream (Never mind the large Flathead). My Dad once told me he used to fish it a bit in his earlier years and it was full of Bull Sharks...
Go figure!
